🏈 Giants NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Expert Mock Draft Picks, Team Needs, Best Fits & More
The New York Giants already held the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before a blockbuster trade that sent Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati in return for the No. 10 pick - giving John Harbaugh two top-10 selections in his first draft with New York and a chance to fast-track the rebuild around second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Giants' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player New York will draft in the first round, which begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Giants draft picks 2026
See where the Giants rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 5, 10 (via CIN) |
| 2 | No. 37 |
| 3 | No pick |
| 4 | No. 105 |
| 5 | No. 145 |
| 6 | No. 186, 192, 193 |
| 7 | No. 221 |
🆘 Giants team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: DL, OL, CB, LB, WR
- Key additions: Isaiah Likely (TE), Daniel Faalele (OG), Darnell Mooney (WR), Tremaine Edmunds (LB), Jason Sanders (K), Greg Newsome II (CB)
- Key departures: Dexter Lawrence (DT, Bengals via trade), Russell Wilson (QB), Bobby Okereke (LB), Wan'Dale Robinson (WR, Titans)
Trading Lawrence bolsters this team's future but creates an immediate need along the defensive line - a key hole to fill given New York's recent investments along the edge. Even after adding Faalele, the offensive line still needs work after the Giants allowed 48 sacks last season. And they should be in position to add an impact defender on the second or third level in the top 10.
🏈 Giants draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Giants' best prospect fit in a dream scenario, their safest pick, and their best upside pick tonight:
| Pick type | No. 5 pick | No. 10 pick | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (7.40) | Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State (7.40) | Although taking an off-ball linebacker and safety in the top 10 is usually tough to justify, Styles and Downs are two of the few blue-chip prospects in this class and can immediately be tone setters for the John Harbaugh era in the Big Apple |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State (7.40) | Vega Ioane, OG, Penn State (7.25) | If New York wants to ensure it gets a cornerstone on its backend, taking Downs with its first pick could be the move while coming back and adding a plug-and-play guard in Ioane with a Pro Bowl ceiling |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (7.25) | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU (7.30) | Joe Schoen can't go wrong taking a Buckeye, and Ohio State's No. 2 wide receiver would be a perfect complement to Malik Nabers in the mold of a bigger DeVonta Smith, while Delane gives New York the top cornerback in the class with top-notch man-to-man cover skills |
NFL draft prospect profiles
➡️ Arvell Reese draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ David Bailey draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Rueben Bain Jr. draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Sonny Styles draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jeremiyah Love draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Carnell Tate draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jordyn Tyson draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Makai Lemon draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
📝 Giants mock draft consensus picks
I went through the final mock drafts from 10 top experts across the industry and gathered their NFL mock draft consensus picks for the New York Giants' first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's who they expect New to draft:
| Expert | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Peter Schrager (ESPN) | Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) | Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (No. 5) |
| Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (No. 5) |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Mike Renner (CBS Sports) | Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Tice & McDonald (Yahoo) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Albert Breer (Sports Illustrated) | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (No. 5) |
| Rob Paul (Sportsbook Review) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 5) |
🎯 Giants first position drafted
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The Giants hold two top-10 picks after trading Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals and need to help Jaxson Dart on both sides of the ball. John Harbaugh has a history of investing in the secondary early, and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has been a popular pairing at No. 5 for weeks, but wide receiver has surged to the favorite with a few hours to go.
I broke down the latest NFL draft position odds for all 32 teams ahead of the first round.
🔮 Giants draft prediction 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 5: Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State
- Pro comparison: Bigger Budda Baker
- Measurables: 6'0" | 206 lbs | 21 years old | RAS: N/A
The John Harbaugh-led New York Giants have their pick of Ohio State superstar defenders, with both Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles still on the board here. While they can't go wrong taking either, when Harbaugh was with the Baltimore Ravens, his team had a history of taking defensive backs in Round 1 (six times). Downs is the exact leader New York needs on the backend, too. His football IQ and physicality are through the roof, and he was born to quarterback Dennard Wilson's defense.
Paul's pick at No. 10: Vega Ioane, OG, Penn State
- Pro comparison: Mike Iupati
- Measurables: 6'4" | 320 lbs | 22 years old | RAS: N/A
There's bound to be at least one surprise pick in the top 10, given how much this draft class seems to lack consensus up top. While Vega Ioane doesn't play a premium position, he's the best offensive lineman in the draft class. Ioane is a mauler in the run game and didn't give up a sack in his final two seasons at Penn State. The All-American would give Harbaugh a high-floor starter at left guard to help keep Jaxson Dart clean and elevate the rushing attack.
🏈 NFL draft predictions by team
See the live NFL draft odds for the top picks from the best NFL betting sites.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, I broke down every team's full draft capital, their biggest needs and ideal prospect fits, the latest mock draft consensus from industry experts, and our draft prediction for their first pick this week:
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
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